Direk Peque Gallaga’s Legacy Lives On

Peque Gallaga

Film maker. Educator. Lasallian.

1948-2020

Peque Gallaga, an award-winning director, a seasoned critique, but more importantly, a proud Lasallian, has passed at the age of 79 in his humble abode in Bacolod City. He completed his grade school and high school education from the De La Salle College, and earned his college degree from the University of St. La Salle (USLS) Bacolod.

Direk Peque was a committed educator and is the mentor of countless students now active as actors, production people, or art department talents in the entertainment industry. Almost every Communication Arts major in the Philippines knows his name and his most famous work Oro, Plata, Mata (1982).

On 29 April 2013, the Peque Gallaga Collection was formally turned over to The Learning Commons, De La Salle University, which forms part of the library’s growing special collections on Philippine cinema. According to Direk Peque, this is his way of going back and giving back to where everything started, that is, to the Library, being his source of inspiration and passion. He generously shared his precious collection of various memorabilia ranging from paintings, trophies, certificates, plaques, posters and scrapbooks. A collection of photographs and costume pictures from his films complete the collection (see formal turnover article here). The collection is housed at the Special Collections of The Learning Commons, 14th floor, Henry Sy, Sr. Hall.

Direk Peque may have left the portals of this world, but he has left us a great legacy, immortalized by his works where we can still be a part of his life well-lived.